Aircraft Structure, Surfaces, Rigging, and Systems Assemblers vs Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic: $65K vs $47K Median Pay

Aircraft Structure, Surfaces, Rigging, and Systems Assemblers vs Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic: what changes?

Consider Aircraft Structure, Surfaces, Rigging, and Systems Assemblers if you want to assemble, fit, fasten, and install parts of airplanes, space vehicles, or missiles, such as tails, wings, fuselage, bulkheads, stabilizers, landing gear, rigging and control equipment, or heating and…. Consider Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic if you would rather set up, operate, or tend more than one type of cutting or forming machine tool or robot. Both list high school diploma or equivalent; compare training and prior experience separately.

Try this next: Compare three local entry-level postings for Aircraft Structure, Surfaces, Rigging, and Systems Assemblers and Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic. List the duties, credentials, prior experience, and paid training each employer actually asks for. Try a supervised class or sample project from each field before choosing a program.

BLS 2025 wages and 2025–2035 projections. National medians are not starting offers. Occupation size is not a count of vacancies. View the BLS data.

Compare the practical differences

Aircraft Structure, Surfaces, Rigging, and Systems Assemblers

National median pay (2025): $65,380
Route into the job: High school diploma or equivalent; More than one month and up to 12 months of on-the-job training, in addition to any qualifying education or licensing
Prior related experience: No prior related occupation is typically required; employer requirements vary.
Training and licensing: More than one month and up to 12 months of on-the-job training, in addition to any qualifying education or licensing.
Work to investigate: Assemble parts, fittings, or subassemblies on aircraft, using layout tools, hand tools, power tools, or fasteners, such as bolts, screws, rivets, or clamps.
Annual openings (2025–2035): 3,100

Know before you choose

BLS projects employment to shrink 5.6% from 2025 to 2035. Openings can still occur when existing workers leave.

See the full Aircraft Structure, Surfaces, Rigging, and Systems Assemblers brief

Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic

National median pay (2025): $47,180
Route into the job: High school diploma or equivalent; More than one month and up to 12 months of on-the-job training, in addition to any qualifying education or licensing
Prior related experience: No prior related occupation is typically required; employer requirements vary.
Training and licensing: More than one month and up to 12 months of on-the-job training, in addition to any qualifying education or licensing.
Work to investigate: Inspect workpieces for defects, and measure workpieces to determine accuracy of machine operation, using rules, templates, or other measuring instruments.
Annual openings (2025–2035): 11,600

Know before you choose

BLS projects essentially flat employment (0.6%) through 2035. Annual openings mostly reflect replacement, not a rapidly expanding field.

See the full Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic brief

How the national numbers differ

Aircraft Structure, Surfaces, Rigging, and Systems Assemblers has the edge on median pay

Aircraft Structure, Surfaces, Rigging, and Systems Assemblers is at $65,380, compared with $47,180 for Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic.

Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic has the edge on annual openings

Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic is at 11,600 annual openings, compared with 3,100 annual openings for Aircraft Structure, Surfaces, Rigging, and Systems Assemblers.

Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic has the edge on projected growth

Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic is at 0.6% projected growth, compared with -5.6% projected growth for Aircraft Structure, Surfaces, Rigging, and Systems Assemblers.

44.6/ 100

Aircraft Structure, Surfaces, Rigging, and Systems Assemblers

47.1/ 100

Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic

Each available metric is ranked from 0 to 100 against the careers on ChooseField. The weighted average uses this profile: pay 30%, growth 25%, openings 30%, preparation level 15%. Missing values are not scored as zero; their weights are redistributed across available metrics. Occupation size has zero weight: employment is not accessible vacancies. Preparation categories do not measure admission difficulty or years without earnings. The score summarizes national measures; local opportunities and personal fit still need separate consideration.

Detailed evidence

Aircraft Structure, Surfaces, Rigging, and Systems Assemblers vs Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic

Dimension	Aircraft Structure, Surfaces, Rigging, and Systems Assemblers	Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
Median pay (2025)	$65,380	$47,180
Pay percentile	57.2 percentile	23.9 percentile
Projected growth (2025–2035)	-5.6%	0.6%
Annual openings (2025–2035)	3,100	11,600
2025 employment	34,400	127,100
How you qualify	High school diploma or equivalent; More than one month and up to 12 months of on-the-job training, in addition to any qualifying education or licensing	High school diploma or equivalent; More than one month and up to 12 months of on-the-job training, in addition to any qualifying education or licensing
O*NET preparation group	Job Zone 2	Job Zone 2
Related work experience	No prior related occupation is typically required; employer requirements vary.	No prior related occupation is typically required; employer requirements vary.
On-the-job training	More than one month and up to 12 months of on-the-job training, in addition to any qualifying education or licensing.	More than one month and up to 12 months of on-the-job training, in addition to any qualifying education or licensing.

The table reports national benchmarks and reviewed work descriptions. It does not rate personal suitability, job security, or physical safety.

Read Aircraft Structure, Surfaces, Rigging, and Systems Assemblers brief Read Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic brief

Aircraft Structure, Surfaces, Rigging, and Systems Assemblers vs Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic: what changes?

The facts most likely to affect your decision

Aircraft Structure, Surfaces, Rigging, and Systems Assemblers

Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic

How the national numbers differ

Aircraft Structure, Surfaces, Rigging, and Systems Assemblers has the edge on median pay

Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic has the edge on annual openings

Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic has the edge on projected growth

Aircraft Structure, Surfaces, Rigging, and Systems Assemblers vs Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic

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